Latent Fingerprint Enhancement Techniques: A Review

Abstract

Fingerprint (FP) is a global mark used for personal identification. This study reviews recent latent fingerprint (LFP) enhancement techniques including metal oxides, multi-metal deposition (MMD-I/II/SMD/Au-ASP), optical, chemical, physical, and physicochemical. Furthermore, analytical techniques involved in identification, evaluation, and determination of pieces of evidence, and perpetrators including the SEM, TEM, UV-Vis, IR/NIR, SERS, SKP, DLS, MALDI-MSI, and TD analysis were also discussed. Among numerous LFP enhancement techniques, the application of chemical methods in combination with optical techniques has a greater place to recover FPs with sufficient quality. However, instead of using such a complex and costly enhancing agent, nowadays nanotechnology is using specific techniques used for visualizing, inspecting, gathering, and analyzing trace evidence at the scene of a crime. To indicate using simple metal oxides such as ZnO that have superior fluorescent properties and also that consider both the surface and cost of the materials, enhancement of the LFP is functioning.